Electromagnetic control-switch.



G. S. WOOD.

ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTROLSWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. I917.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918. s SHEETS-SHEET s. ic 25 G. S. WOOD.

. ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTROL SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED luv 3, 1912.

Patented Apr. 16,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR WITN ESSES I Q a ATTORNEY G. S. WOOD.

ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTROL SWITCH.

. APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. 1917.

"1,262,895., Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' INVENTDR "ATTORNEY GEORGE S. WOOD, OF NEW YORK, N Y.

ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTROL-SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon citizen of the United States, residing at NewYork, in the county of New York and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements'in .Electro- -magneticControl-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to switch control ling mechanism, and has for itsprimary object to provide a simplified and improved construction whichmay be operated to open or close a switch in a main electric light orpower circuit located at a distance from the operator.

A further object of' the invention is to provide a switch controllingmechanism which is positivein operation, and which includes an improvedsignal or annunciator which operates immediately upon the switchactuating mechanism being set in motion,

'and which remains in operation until the 7 switch is in either open orclosed position,

and the actuating mechanism has become inactive.

Still further objects reside in the provision of a mechanism of thecharacter set forth, which shall be of simple and inexpensiveconstruction, which is composed of but relatively few readily assembledparts, which has its various movable parts so constructed and arrangedas to minimize the opportunity for wear, breakage or derangement, whichis positive in operation, and which will prove thoroughly eflicient inthe attainment of the various ends set forth.

With these objects in view together with others which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the novel formation,combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be described morefully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings and particularly pointedout in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an electromagneticcontrolled switch constructed and arranged in accordance with theinvention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the switc I Fig. 3 is a view,similar to Fig. 2, arts being broken away to show the under yingstructure,

Fig. 4 is a top ilan view of the mechanism illustrated in ig. 2, and,

1 Specification of Letters Patent.

Application meul'a a, 1917. Serial No. 166,230.

S. Wool), a'

power mechanism for actuating the Patented Apr. '16, 1918.

- arrangement of a power mechanism in connection with the ordinary snapswitch in a main power or electric lighting circuit, and which iscapable of being operated to move the snap switch to on or oifpositions.

. This power mechanism may be controlled by an operator at a distancefrom the main circuit switch, and a secondary circuit of low voltage isemployed for putting the power mechanism into operation. Simultaneouslywith the closing of the secondary circuit, a

light or other indicator is energized, and remains in operation untilthe power mechanism has moved the snap switch to either on or offposition.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 indicates a conventional form of snapswitch used in connection with high voltage electric light or powercircuits, the said switch being secured upon a suitable base indicatedgenerally at 11. The terminals for the high power circuits are arrangedin circular series upon the base of the snap switch, and are indicatedgenerally at 12, 13, let and 15. The oppositely disposed terminals uponthis switch block may be brought into electrical connection with eachother through the instrumentality of the radially disposed arms 16carried by the rotatable switch stem 17. It requires but a quarter turnof the switch actuating stem to move the contact arms into operative orinoperative position.

Aflixed to one end of the rotatable switch stem 17 is a gear 18, thelatter being adapted to be rotated to impart rotary movement to the saidswitch stem. The teeth of this gear are in mesh with the teeth of anintermediate pinion 19, carried by a shaft 20 mounted for rotation uponthe base 11, and this pinion is driven by a power wheel 21. The wheel 21derives its power from a power spring 22, the latter being aflixed atone end to the supporting shaft 23 of the power wheel. The spring 22 maybe tensioned when required by applying a suitable key to the outer endof the supporting shaft 23, as will be readily understood. In additionto imparting rotary movement to the pinion.19, the gear 21 when rotatingdrives an escapement mechanism including gears 24:, 25 and 26, thelatter gear being a secondary circuit of low voltage,

mounted upon a shaft 27 which projects at one end beyond the casingwhich supports or houses the power mechanism. The gear 24 is carried bya shaft 28, one end of which projects beyond the casing or'housing forthe gear train.

Associ ted with this gear train is an improved stop mechanism which isadapted to control the movement of the power mechanism so as to governthe degree of rotation of the switch stem 17. This improved stopmechanism includes electro-magnets 30 and 31, and an armature 32, commonto both of said magnets. This armature is pivoted at one end as at 33 tothe gear casing, and is normally held out of engagement with either ofthe magnets by a contractile spring 34. A screw or other adjusting means35 is associated with the armature, so as to limit the degree of outwardmovement of the same. When the armature is released from the magnets,one end of the same is disposed in the path of travel of a brakeincluding a finger 36 secured to a block 37 aifixed to the outer end ofthe driven gear shaft 27. When either of the magnets 3031 is energized,however, the armature is moved inwardly, and the finger 36 disengagesfrom the end of the armature so as to permit the gear train to operateunder impulse of the spring 22. Immediately upon release of the armature32, the spring 34 will operate upon the same to draw the free end of thearmature into the path of travel of the finger 36, whereupon furtheroperation of the power mechanism will be discontinued.

Rotatably mounted upon the gear casing and driven from the intermediatepinion shaft 20 is a gear ,7 5, the latter being electrically connectedwith the gear casing. This gear carries a segment 39, which is adaptedwhen rotating to alternately engage with brushes 40 and 41, mounted uponand insulated from the power mechanism casing,

and located with respect to the gear 7 5 at points substantiallydiametrically opposite.

The magnets 30--31 are energized from in which are located push-buttonswitches 44 and 45. These switches may be of any conventionalconstruction, and are illustrated as being supported by a block 46,which carries the contacts to tons. The contacts for the button 44 areindicated at 47 while the contacts for button 45 are indicated at 48,and it will be understood that inward sliding movement of thepush-buttons will establish an electrical connection between theirrespective spaced contacts. One of the contacts 47 is connected with theelectro-magnet 30 by a conductor 49, while a conductor 50 establisheselectrical connection between the electro-magnet 31 and one of thespaced contacts 48 for the push-button 45.

' of the push-buttons be bridged by the said push-buts The energy forthe secondary circuit is supplied from a battery or other suitablesource indicated at 51. One pole of this source of electrical energy isconnected with the casing for the power mechanism by a wire or conductor55, while the other pole of the battery is connected with each of theadjacent contact members 47 and 48. An electric lamp or other signal isindicated at 56, and is so arranged that when either 44 or 45 isdepressed and closes a circuit through one or the other of theelectro-magnets, the said lamp will be ignited. It will be understood,that the si al 56 need not necessarily be a lamp, as a uzzer or otherannunciator may, if desired, be used.

The operation is as follows:

With the mechanism in the position shown in Fig. l of the drawings, andin which position it will be assumed that the snaps switch in the maincircuit is in ofi position, the push-button 44 is depressed. Immediatelyupon depression of the push-button 44, a circuit is established from thebattery 51, through lamp 56, across the contacts 47, through wire 49,through the electromagnet 30, through wire 43, through the brush 40,through segment 39 and the shaft 76 which carries the same into thecasing of the power mechanism and back into the battery 51 through wire55. The electromagnet 30 is thus energized, and attracts the armature32, whereupon the stop finger 36 is released, and the power mechanismoperates under impulse of the spring 22. This operation of, the powermechanism drives the snap-switch actuating gear 18 and moves the switcha quarter turn. The power mechanism and the snap-switch operatingapparatus are so intergeared that the circuit through the electro-magnetwill be broken immediately after the switch stems have rotated a quarterturn. The breaking of the circuit occurs when one end of the segment 39passes beyond and out of engagement with the brush 40. Just as soonasthe circuit is broken, the spring 34 moves the armature 32outwardly,so that the end thereof will be disposed in the path ofrotation of the stop finger 36, whereupon the power mechanism will belocked against further movement. The segment or sector 39 is soconstructed and arranged that when the rear end thereof has passedbeyond and out of frictional contact with one of the brushes, theforward end of the segment will pass into engagement with the opposingbrush. It is apparent, therefore, that depression of the other of thepush-buttons, namely the push- ,button 45, will establish a circuit frombat tery 51, through lamp 56, across contacts 48 to wire 50, throughelectromagnet 31, through wire 42, brush 41, segment 39, and

' than a quarter turn, the driving shaft 76 supporting the same, throughthe power mechanism casing, and into the battery 51 through wire 55. Thecircuit thus closed will again energize the power mecha nism, whereuponthe snap-switch 10 will be rotated a quarter turn, so as to break theconnection in the main power circuit.

From this description, it is apparent that I have provided an extremelysimple and yet thoroughly efiicient mechanism for performing the desiredoperation. So long as a circuit is established through one or the otherof the electromagnets 30-31, the electric light 56 will be ignited, andthe operator of the push-button switch will be aware upon extinguishmentof the lamp that the snap-switch has rotated a quarter turn. The powermechanism for rotating the main circuit switch has been shown anddescribed as being driven by a power tension spring, but it is obviousthat any other source of motive power may, with equal facility, beemployed. Should it be found necessary to rotate the main switch-stemmore or less gears for the power switch may be enlarged or reducedaccordingly.

lVhile the present is a disclosure of the preferred embodiment of theinvention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limitedthereto, as various changes in the minor details of construction,proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to if desiredwithout departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. The combination with a switch; a power mechanism for operating saidswitch, a pair of electromagnets, an armature common to both of saidmagnets for normally holding said mechanism against operation and beingadapted when either of said magnets is energized to release saidmechanism, arotating shaft in said mechanism, the said shaftconstituting one pole for each of the circuits for said magnets, acontact mem ber carried by said shaft, oppositely disposed brushes inthe path of travel of said member, the said brushes constituting,respectively, the other terminals of said magnet circuits, a switch ineach circuit, and a signal means adapted to be operated upon the closingof either circuit.

2. The combination with a switch; a power mechanism for operating saidswitch, a pair of electromagnets, an armature common to both of saidmagnets for normally holding said mechanism against operation and beingadapted when either of said magnets is energized to release saidmechanism, a rotating shaft in said mechanism, the said shaftconstituting one pole for each of the circuits for said magnets, acontact member carried by said shaft, oppositely disposed brushes in thepath of travel of said member, the said brushes constitutingrespectively, the other terminals of said magnet circuits, a switch ineach circuit, a push button for each switch adapted to 'open or closethe circuit, and an electric signal common to both circuits and adaptedto be energized when either of said circuits is closed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE S. WOOD.

WVitnesses:

PATRICK J. KELLY, DAVID J. HAHLEN.

